Ever heard of Christchurch in New Zealand? If not, don’t worry—I’m here to tell you all about it.
Christchurch is a city located on the eastern coast of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s the largest city on the South Island and the third-largest in the entire country, after Auckland and Wellington. So, it’s definitely not a small town you can overlook.
But before we dive into the details of what you can do in Christchurch, here’s a little fun fact for you. The Māori name for Christchurch is Ōtautahi. Māori names often carry deep meanings and histories, but we’ll get into that later.
Now, why should you care about Christchurch? First of all, its strategic location. The city sits in the middle of the South Island, placing you right on the main route towards the eastern coast. This makes it the perfect gateway to explore the island and all its natural beauty.
Even though Christchurch is a big city, it has its own unique charm. Here, you’ll find everything from forests to mountains, lakes to beaches. There are so many places waiting for you to explore.
So, let’s take a look at some of the things you can do in Christchurch
1. Visit the International Antarctic Centre
This is definitely one of the most unique experiences you can have. You can visit the International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, where you can explore Antarctica without even leaving the city. The center features an Antarctic Attraction where you can see little blue penguins in rehabilitation. You can observe them and learn more about life in Antarctica. It’s bound to be an exciting experience, especially if you’ve never been to Antarctica!
2. Cardboard Cathedral (Cathedral Square)
Cathedral Square is one of the historic centers of Christchurch. It’s an important place for both locals and visitors. Unfortunately, the Anglican cathedral that once stood there was severely damaged by an earthquake. But don’t worry, something amazing took its place—the Cardboard Cathedral. This church was built using cardboard and is one of Christchurch’s best innovations. You can visit and see how creative people can be when faced with challenges.
3. Akaroa and Dolphins
Akaroa is a must-visit destination if you’re in Christchurch. It’s a settlement rich in English and French colonial history, located about 84 kilometers east of Christchurch on Banks Peninsula. Here, you can experience a dolphin swimming tour, which is a huge draw for tourists. If you love dolphins, this is the perfect spot for you.
4. Snow Fun at Mt Hutt
If you’re visiting Christchurch during winter, don’t miss out on the chance to play in the snow at Mt Hutt. This ski resort is located just an hour inland from the city center. Mt Hutt offers 365 hectares of slopes suitable for snow enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. The ski season usually starts in mid-June and lasts for several months. So if you love snow, make sure to take advantage of this opportunity.
Weather in Christchurch
Now, let’s talk a bit about the weather in Christchurch. The city has a relatively warm climate with plenty of sunshine. However, temperatures can drop below 0°C during winter. Winter falls in the middle of the year and can sometimes bring snowfall. Summer starts around Christmas, with warm temperatures that can exceed 30°C. So, if you enjoy warm weather, summer is the best time to visit Christchurch.
Getting Around Christchurch
Now, let’s discuss how to get around Christchurch. There are several options to consider. The city has two main bus companies, Red Bus and Go Bus Christchurch, offering services within and to the suburbs. This makes it easy to explore the city by bus. Additionally, Christchurch has a ferry service that connects Lyttelton with Diamond Harbour, offering a unique way to see the city from a different perspective. Of course, cycling is a great option if you enjoy exercise and want to explore the city more actively.
Best Time to Visit
Finally, let’s talk about the best time to visit Christchurch. If you love warm weather and lots of sunshine, summer is the perfect time. Summer starts around Christmas, and you can enjoy comfortable temperatures. However, if you love snow sports, then winter is the time for you. Additionally, Christchurch hosts several interesting events throughout the year. The World Buskers Festival, held from mid to late January, brings street performers from around the world to various locations in the city. So, if you enjoy street art, this is the perfect time to visit.
That’s a little story about Christchurch. Don’t forget to plan a visit to this city if you’re thinking of taking a vacation in New Zealand. Christchurch has plenty to offer its visitors, and you’re sure to enjoy the time you spend there. So, happy travels!
Road Trip Experience in New Zealand, Starting from Christchurch
Touchdown! At around 5 AM local time, the plane I was on finally landed at Christchurch International Airport. After spending a year in Australia, I was about to spend a full month exploring New Zealand, and Christchurch was the first city I visited in this country on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
The three-hour flight from Melbourne to Christchurch wasn’t too noticeable, except for the six-hour time difference with Jakarta, which made me feel genuine jet lag. My body felt more tired, and I was sleepy but couldn’t sleep. Although there was a four-hour time difference when I was in Sydney, the difference here was even more noticeable.
After landing, I didn’t want to waste any time. I headed straight to immigration to complete the formalities, picked up my luggage, and was eager to fill my rumbling stomach. Although I flew with Qantas, a full-service airline, the food they provided didn’t quite meet my expectations. Honestly, I prefer Air Asia’s nasi lemak over their menu.
Smooth Immigration Process
“Hello! Good Morning ” I greeted warmly as I handed over my passport and the printed visa approval for New Zealand.
The New Zealand immigration officer carefully reviewed the visa approval document and scanned my passport.
“How long will you be here?” the officer asked.
“My visa allows me to stay for up to 90 days, but I’m planning to stay for about a month,” I explained, giving more details about my stay.
Indeed, I had a 90-day stay permit, but for financial reasons, I planned to spend only 30 days in New Zealand. This country is still quite expensive, even after working in Australia for a year.
“Where will you be staying in New Zealand? Have you already booked accommodation?” the officer inquired further.
“No, I haven’t booked any accommodation yet in Christchurch. I’ll be doing a road trip with my friends, but they’re on different flights. I have the booking under my friend’s name here.”
I handed over the car rental booking that I had printed earlier.
“With your friends? Where are they? Why didn’t you travel together?” The officer asked, slightly more inquisitive.
I explained that I would be doing a road trip with two friends, but we were arriving from different places at different times. This may have made the immigration officer a bit suspicious.
Just as I was about to explain further, someone called my name from behind.
“Fahmi!” A voice called out from behind me.
“Ah, that’s one of my friends. The other will be landing in the afternoon,” I told the officer.
“Ah, okay then, enjoy New Zealand!” With that, my passport was stamped with the New Zealand entry stamp.
After immigration, I headed straight to baggage claim. I retrieved my luggage while waiting for my friend Velyz, who was still with the same immigration officer.
Maybe they were also being asked to confirm the details I had provided earlier.
I had already met Velyz during our transit in Melbourne. He flew from Bali, while I flew from Sydney.
The last member of our road trip group, Vivi, was likely still asleep in Sydney. She was flying out in the morning and would arrive in Christchurch around midday.
Summer Feels Like Winter
Since I had nothing to declare, I easily cleared customs and headed to the arrivals area to find an ATM and buy a local SIM card. Christchurch International Airport isn’t very large.
It’s about the same size as Juanda Airport in Surabaya, making it easy to locate an ATM or purchase a SIM card.
The convenience of modern travel means no more carrying large amounts of cash when traveling abroad. As long as you have an ATM card with funds, you can withdraw cash from ATMs in most countries.
I withdrew NZD 1,500, part of my total travel budget of NZD 2,000 for New Zealand.
With cash in hand, we then grabbed some food and bought a local SIM card for use during our stay.
Although it was supposed to be summer in New Zealand, the weather felt more like winter. As soon as we stepped out of the airport, we were greeted by a bone-chilling cold, overcast skies, and light rain.
It felt more like winter in Sydney than summer.
“This feels like summer, but it feels like winter!” I thought.
It was clear that getting our rental car, which we had pre-booked, was the next priority.
The car rental place wasn’t far from Christchurch Airport. We just took a free shuttle that took us from the airport to the rental location.
Later, I found out that almost every car rental place there offers a shuttle service from the airport.
A Problem with the Rental Car
When we arrived at the rental location, there were already quite a few customers in line. It made sense, considering it was the holiday season.
Not wanting to waste any time, I quickly dealt with the rental process.
The rental cost for a month was around NZD 1,700. It was expensive, but still much cheaper than renting a campervan.
Unfortunately, there was an issue with the car we were supposed to get—the brakes had a problem.
The rental company offered us a replacement vehicle, but it was a different type, or we could wait for the brakes to be fixed.
We had originally booked a Nissan Wing Road because of its larger trunk space. After looking at the replacement vehicles, we decided to stick with the original car.
The replacement vehicles had trunks that were too small.
So, we opted to wait the two hours it would take to fix the brakes. After all, we still needed to wait for Vivi, who would land in Christchurch around midday.
This experience taught me to make sure the car is ready before picking it up.
After a two-hour wait, our Nissan Wing Road was finally ready. It was gray, looked quite old, and had a basic interior.
Luckily, the brakes were replaced with new ones, so we didn’t have to worry about brake issues later.
Unfortunately, there was no audio system that could connect via Bluetooth, which meant no music from our smartphones during the road trip.
Thankfully, there was still an AM-FM radio to tune into local stations.
Despite its old appearance, the engine sounded reliable for the 4,000 to 5,000 kilometers ahead.
Even though I later nicknamed it the “ugly car,” this Nissan Wing Road successfully took us from Christchurch to the end of our road trip without any issues.
Gathering Supplies and Camping Gear in Christchurch
A road trip in New Zealand is best done with a motorhome or campervan. However, due to the high rental costs, renting a car was the more affordable option.
That meant we had to set aside time to gather camping gear.
Of course, we could have skipped buying camping gear if we were planning to stay in hotels or hostels every night.
But New Zealand is one of the best places for camping, so it would have been a shame not to experience it.
Plus, staying at campgrounds or holiday parks is one way to save money while traveling in New Zealand.
After doing some research online, we found that K-Mart and The Warehouse were the top choices for buying camping gear in Christchurch.
We bought everything we needed—tents, mats, portable stoves, gas, picnic tables, and chairs—from these two stores. No need to bring or buy these items in Indonesia.
We spent about NZD 200 on all the camping gear.
As for food supplies, we bought everything from supermarkets like Countdown, FourSquare, or New World.
Unfortunately, there are no Indomaret or Alfamart convenience stores in New Zealand~
Once everything was ready, we headed to our first campsite, 219 on John Holiday Park, located just outside Christchurch.
For me, this was also my first time camping in New Zealand. How did it feel?
Of course, I was freezing on the first night, still adjusting to the weather.